Game board



May 24, 1955 G. F. WALES 2,709,124

GAME BOARD Filed Dec. 7, 1951 L 1 4 5,5 Q0 INVENTOR'' Gear .e Wale. Y

B l ATT@ United States Patent O GAME BOARD George F. Wales, Kenmore, N. Y.

Application December 7, i951, Serial No. 260,435

4 Ciaims. (Cl. 346-78) The present invention relates to e t recording device which is ot' particular utility for recording and indicating the moves of game pieces or men used in games, such as checkers, chess, and the like.

A portable game accessory or device for this purpose is disclosed in my pending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 156,669, led March 2i), lil-50, now Patent No. 2,676,086, issued April 2Q, i954.

ln the device or that application a casing is provided which is open at opposite ends and through which an elongated record strip may be ouided in a path parallel to the side margins thereof. lhis casing has on its face a representation of a g me board, such as a checker' board, which is inclined with respect to the direction of travel of the record strip and which has therein a series of small holes or apertures, one passing through each of the thirty tvo playing squares of the playing pattern. The holes are thus disposed in a group of parallel lines at an angle to the side margins or" the record strip. relation is such that only one aperture will be located along any line parallel to the line of travel of the record strip.

Hence if a pencil or other mar through any selected hole of the ame hoard and a dot or mark made on the record strip, t at mark, when the strip is advanced, will miss all the other apertures of the game board and will not be visible through any hole other than that through which it was made. Hence, only the indicia involving the positions of men on a playing board will be visible at any one time.

By providing appropriate graduations on the record strip and aligning these with an indicator on the device king implement is passed g h the distance the record strip is to be moved for each play` Owing to the inclined arrangement o the playing pat' tern with respect to the line of travel of the record strip, the step-by-step moves thereof are in relatively small increments. Therefore the capacity of the record strip is large with `respect to the number of indicia it may carry.

In the device of my patent application Serial No. 150,669 mentioned the record strip is slid or pushed through the device by hand, without aid of mechanical feed means.

One drawback of a device of the type disclosed in my application referred to is the size of 'the holes provided in the squares of the gan eboard for the insertion of a mari.- ing pencil. Due to the small size of these holes it often happens that the resulting dot or mark is not clear, resulting in confusion or possible error in the interpretas tion of the record.

Another game accessory or recording device of the character described above is to be found in my application for patent Serial No. 156,670 also liled March 20, 1950, now Patent No. 2,676,687, issued April 20, 1954.

Here also a casing is provided with an inclined playing pattern in which apertures are arranged in parallel groups angularly disposed relatively to the margins of the record strip and to its line of travel. ln the device of application Serial No. 150,670, however, a long record strip is provided which may be unwound from a spool at one end of the device to and upon a spool at the other end thereof. Among the novel features of the device of that application are the hand-operated mechanical means for feeding the record strip step-by-step, in equal increments, as play proceeds.

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved game accessory or recording device of the character described above which will be very simple, inexpensive and compact in construction, and with which the moves in a game of checkers or the like can be recorded with increased accuracy and facility.

Another obiect of this invention is to provide a game recording device with which a strip of paper or like material in roll form may be used without employment of complicated mechanism for feeding the strip step by step.

Another obiect of the invention is to provide a device of the sort mentioned with improved means for enabling clearly visible indicia or record marks to be made on a record strip therein by the use of a pencil or other marking implement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a recording device in which long marks or strokes can be easily and quickly made on a record strip by a direct straight movement of a pencil so that the record may be clearer and more easily seen and so that confusion and error in the interpretation ora record may be avoided when re-playi. g a record strip through the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game accessory of the character described comprising a simple casing of novel form in which the insertion ot' an unwound portion of a roll of paper or the like for receiving indicia may be easily made and with which the paper may be fed by hand through the device with the minimum manipulation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game recording device of the character described which is so constructed that portions of the record strip carrying recorded data may be easily severed from the strip.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described so constructed that a severed portion of a record strip may be passed through the device for re-play of a game by feeding it over the unsevered portion or" the strip stili in the device without disturbing such portion or defacing or marriug any recorded data applied thereto.

Other objects or" the invention will be apparent hereinafter from the specification and from the recital of thev appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a novel game built according to one embodiment of the invention, parts thereof being broken away better to disclose the structure;

Fig, 2 is a transverse vertical section through thc device7 on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. looking in the direc. tion of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line @1 4 of Fig. 3 and lookin( upward;

Fig. 5 isa transverse vertical section taken on the line 5*5 of Fig. l, looking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating the means for releasably supporting a roll of paper for use as a record receiving strip; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of a marginal fragment 3 of a record receiving strip which may be used in the device.

In the embodiment of the game accessory or recording device illustrated, C denotes a casing having a substantially horizontal top Wall or plate from each side of which depends a vertical marginal wall or fiange l2. Extending inwardly of the bottom edge of each flange 12 is a web 14 running from the rear edge 16 (Fig. 3) of the flange towards and terminating short of the front end thereof.

The paper or other material for receiving the record or data which is to be kept for future use, is supplied in roll form, as denoted at R. The roll R is carried on a spool or spindle 20, see Figs. 3 and 5, and is of a width approximating that of the top plate it).

The roll R is mounted at the front end of the accessory, for which purpose the adjacent end portions of the flanges 12 are extended downwards at 22. Open ended slots 24 in said extensions form seats for the opposite end portions 26 of the spindle 20. These end portions 26 of the spindle each have an annular groove 28. When the roll R is in position, these grooves are disposed close to the outer faces of the side flange extensions 22 and are adapted to receive the V-shaped free ends 29 of flexible wire springs or brake members 30, Fig. l.

The springs 3) are fixed at their opposite ends to the outer faces of the flanges 12. These spring members 30 act yieldingly to hold the roll R in place in the seats 24, and can be easily flexed to release the spool 20 and to allow quick and easy replacement, as needed.

. As in my co-pending applications Serial No. 150,669 and Serial No. 150,670 above referred to, the top plate 1i) of the present device has formed or depicted thereon a. representation of a checkerboard or like playing pattern, see Fig. l.. This pattern is disposed in angularV relation to the side margins w of the paper strip or web W drawn off of roll R, and to the line of travel thereof, so that the device functions generally as in the devices of said co-pending applications.

To support the record receiving strip or web W in operative position in the device, a back panel or plate 32v is disposed beneath and in closely spaced parallel relation to the top plate 10, as seen clearly in Fig. 3.

The back panel 32 thus forms with the top plate 1t) a guide channel 33 in which the strip or web W may be confined while passing from the roll R at the front oi the device to the open end of the channel at the rear oi the accessory, see Figs. l and 3.

The back panel 32 may be secured in position in any suitable wa as by side anges 34 thereon (Figs. 2 and 3) which abut and may be spot welded or otherwise fixed to the inner faces of the side flanges 16.

The roll-supporting flange portions 22 of the casing are preferably connected at their lower edges and also at their inner ends by a transverse wall 33 which may be a depressed and forwardly extending cut-out portion of the back panel 32 as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

The wall 3S may be recessed, as shown in these figures, to provide an opening in the rear of the roll R. ln cutting this opening a portion of the metal is left as a forward tongue or extension 42 of the back panel 32, see Fig. 3, projecting beneath web W and terminating close to the roll R to support, at least, the mid-portion of the web in its passage into the channel 33, and to act as a guide when the free or leading end of the strip W is to be inserted into the device.

To further assist in the insertion of the record strip W, the front end of the top wall i() is cut away to form the top wall with a recessed front end d6, Figs. l and 3. The rear inner edge 48 of this recessed portion d6 is disposed rearwardly of the front edge of the tongue 42 of the back panel 32.

By the construction described, the roll R is disposed within a pocket X formed by the transverse wall 3S,

the side members 22 and the adjacent portions of the top wall 1G and the tongue 42.

Nevertheless, the leading edge of the strip W can be easily entered into the guide 33 and the strip manipulated by pressing the strip against the tongue 42 to urge it in a rearward direction.

ln the present novel game appliance or record receiving device, instead of forming small round apertures through which dots may be applied to the record strip, l form in each of the playing squares 49, numbered 1 32, as is usual, an elongated slit or opening 50, Figs. l and 3. These slits 50 are wide enough to permit free passage of the point of a pencil or pen therethrough to permit recording on the record strip W the position of any man on the gameboard at each stage of a game; and each slit extends through a considerable portion of each square from one transverse or end margin thereof to the other. The slits 5t? are of ample length to enable the marks or indicia applied therethrough to be easily made by a direct stroke 0f a pencil or implement. The back panel 32, of course, forms a table or support for the paper web W so that the paper may easily be marked by a pencil or other marking implement.

The slits 50 have their longer, or side margins, disposed in parallel relation to the side margins w of the web or strip W. The slits thus extend parallel to the line of travel of the strip. Therefore, as soon as the leading end of an indicia mark made through a given slit 50, reaches the upper end of that slit, when feeding the strip through the device for re-play of a game, that mark will become visible and will so remain until the entire mark or stroke is in full register lengthwise of the slit. When the strip is further advanced the index mark can still be seen until its tail end passes the lower end of that slit. This arrangement insures visibility of the mark the moment it reaches a position within range of its intended slit. Furthermore, movement of the indicia past the intended slits, without being seen, is much less likely, than when attempting to register dot form of indicia of a record with small round holes on a gameboard.

After a portion of the record receiving strip or web W has been unwound from the roll R and guided through the passage 33, as in Fig. 3, it is desirable to have means available to enable a user of the device to advance the strip step-by-step in equal increments, in order that indicia applied in the manner described can be subsequently run through the device and the indicia brought into registration with the appropriate slits 5t), as when re-playing a previous game, or part thereof. For this purpose suitably spaced guide elements, such as alternate light and dark squares or divisions 52 and 54 may be applied to a side margin of the web, as shown in Figs. l and 6.

The adjacent edges of or dividing lines 56 between the squares or areas 52 and 54 may be moved, one after another, into register with an edge 58 (Fig. l) of a recess 6i) formed at or near the rear edge of the top plate 10. In the present case the recess 60 extends forwardly from the front edge 62 of a cut out area 64 ofA top plate 10 which also projects forwardly relatively to the rear edge of the top plate 1G. If desired, a narrow marginal portion 66 (Fig. l) of the top plate may 1oe left in place when forming the recesses 60 and area 64 to retain or guide the associated margin w of the strip in place until the rear end of the chanel 33 is reached.

In connection with the foregoing it will be noted that the back panel 32, forming the bottom wall of the guide channel 33 is left intact. In this way, that portion of the strip W, which at any time is exposed in the area or recess 64 will rest on the panel 32 beneath and can therefore have applied thereto notes or comments relative to the moves to which the square 52 or 54 directly opposite may relate, as by bearing a number corresponding to the position in the playing pattern of a mark just made on the strip W at that position or otherwise.

Since spaced guide marks, or squares for aiding in the equal step by step advance of a record strip, are disclosed in my aforesaid patent application Serial No. 150,669, the use of such guide mean.` are not claimed per se in the present application.

It will be seen that formation of the area of recess 64 at the rear end of the top plate or wall 1t) leaves a tab 70 at that end of the plate laterally opposite tab or marginal portion 66.

Directly beneath this tab 70 the backing panel 32 is cut away to provide a recess 72, see Fig. 4. Therefore, when a portion of the record-receiving strip W is at that end of its guide channel 33, pressure exerted by the lingers on the top of the tab 70 and the bottom of the strip in the recess 72 will enable the strip to be readily urged in an advance direction without need of manipulating the roll R. The latter will be retained from overrunning and yieldingly in position by the friction effected on the spindle 2t) by the braking springs 30.

The construction described is therefore of great advantage, since, by the use of only one spindle or spool upon which the strip is wound and from which it is fed, the free end of the strip W can be not only manipulated by one hand, but can also be torn oif along the alined rear edges of the tab 70 and that of the backing panel 32.

In this Way a recorded game, or a portion of a game, can be detached from the strip W at any time for re-play, or for checking a portion of a game during progress thereof should discussion of what moves had previously been played be desirable.

Another advantage of the novel game appliance of the present invention is that a record of a game played at any previous time, and which has been severed from the strip, can be re-played at any time in any device constructed according to the present invention by passing the record through the passage 33 above the portion of the strip W which is already therein. That portion may have thereon records or indicia of a part of a game at the moment in progress but such record will be entirely undisturbed by the insertion of a previously made record over it.

Such detached fragment of record strip can be inserted in the channel through the recess 46 and over the roll R, and when its forward edge reaches the rear end of channel 33 it can be advanced beyond the edge of the strip below and pulled forward, as desired, to register the data thereon with the slits 5t).

While the invention has been described in connection with one embodiment thereof it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention, and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as my be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a top wall which has a plurality of playing spaces marked off thereon to provide a game board for playing a game of movement, a back wall adjacent and parallel to said top wall, means at the sides of said two walls to therewith form a passage, means on said casing at one end of said passage for rotatably supporting a record strip in roll form, said passage serving as a guide for rectilinear movement of an unwound portion of said record strip therethrough, the playing spaces on said top wall being disposed thereon in angular relation to the direction of movement of said record strip, and said top wall having a plurality of elongate apertures therethrough, one for each playing space, which extend in the direction of movement of said record strip and through which index marks may be made on said record strip, said top wall having a recess at the other end of said passage for exposing a portion of said strip so that data may be applied to said strip while said strip is supported by said backwall, and said back wall having a cutting edge at said recess with which said strip may be engaged for severing a portion of said strip from the remainder, and said end recess having an offset portion with which indicating indicia on said strip may be registered to determine the amount of movement desired of said record strip through said passage.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a casing having a top Wall, means for guiding a record strip beneath and adjacent said top wall in a rectilinear path, said top wall having depicted thereon in angular relation to said path of movement of said strip a playing pattern of checkerboard type comprising a plurality of playing squares, each playing square having an elongate slit formed therein extending through said top wall in the direction of said path and through which an elongated index mark may be made on said record strip, a back plate beneath and parallel to said top plate for supporting said strip for the reception of said index marks, said back plate having a cutting edge at one end against which said record strip may be engaged to sever portions thereof from the remainder, and said device having guide means at one end thereof for entry of a severed portion of said record strip beneath said top plate and over that part of said strip remaining beneath said top wall, whereby the index marks on said severed portion may be observed through said slits in said top wall.

3. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a top wall, a second wall parallel and close to said top wall to form with said top wall a passage through which a record strip may `be moved beneath said top wall in a rectilinear path, said top wall having on its top face a gameboard of checkerboard type provided with a plurality of playing squares, said playing squares being arranged in angular relation to said rectilinear path, each playing square of said gameboard having an elongated straight slot therein which extends diagonally of said playing square in the direction of said rectilinear path and through said top wall whereby a marking instrument may be inserted through any of said slots to make a mark on the record strip, all said slots being parallel, and the different slots being disposed alike on their respective playing squares, said second wall extending from one side of the casing to the other to serve as a support for the record strip during marking thereof.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing having a top wall, a second wall parallel and close to said top wall to form with said top wall a passage through which a record strip may be moved beneath said top wall in a rectilinear path, means on said casing at one end of said passage for supporting below said second wall the spindle of a record roll from which said strip may be unwound for movement through said passage, resilient means comprising wire springs secured at opposite sides of said casing adjacent said supporting means and adapted to engage the ends of said spindle when supported in said supporting means to resiliently hold said spindle in said supporting means and to brake the rotation of said spindle, said top wall having on its top face a game board of checkerboard type comprising a plurality of playing squares, said playing squares being arranged in angular relation to said rectilinear path, each playing square of said gameboard having an elongated straight slot therein which extends diagonally of said playing square in the direction of said rectilinear path and which extends through said top wall, whereby a marking instrument may be inserted through a slot to make an index mark on said record strip, all of said slots being parallel, and the different slots being correspondingly disposed in the diterent playing squares, said second wall extending from one side to the other of said casing to serve as a support for the record strip during marking thereof, and having a portion adjacent said one end of said passage 7 that is bent downwardly away from said top wall and that extends adjacent to said roll to support material un- Wound from said roll and to guide said material into said passage, and said top wall being cut away above said bent portion to facilitate insertion of a record strip into said passage.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,214,541 Guilford, Jr. Feb. 6, 1917 8 Carmichael July 15, Johnston Mar. 5, Brownell Oct. 8, Martens July 12, Schneider et al. Jan. 26, Smith Sept. 14, Sirnunek et al. Feb. 27, 

